Drunk in the March Breeze? Better Drunk in Tongjing's Hot Springs

March 14, 2021, the second day of the second lunar month.

In March, everything is truly beautiful.

Sunshine, mist, peach blossoms, and a stirring of spring in the heart.

Perhaps, gathering with girlfriends,

for a hike, a soak in a hot spring,

and a sip of the spring breeze, getting drunk in the night.

The mere thought of it is wonderfully intoxicating.

Tongjing Hot Springs, here I come.

Here lies the poetry and distant horizons I seek.

At the start of the holiday, a cozy nest in the soup courtyard.

We arrived at Tongjing Hot Springs at night. A few women set off from downtown Chongqing in the afternoon. After experiencing the seventh occurrence of "You have entered an alternate route; we have re-routed you," we finally entered the gate of Tongjing Hot Springs at nine in the evening.

So never trust a female driver, especially when her surname is Shi.

Tongjing Hot Springs lies nestled in the canyon of the Yulin River Valley, like a dark little beast slowly revealing itself to us.

The car drove along the road toward the soup courtyard. Tall trees slowly receded on both sides. The wind stirred the treetops slightly, leaves collided, rustling. The night breeze carried the fresh scent of March grass and trees, soothing the fatigue of the bumpy journey with its subtle fragrance, and gradually calming the heart.

In the misty rain, we could vaguely see the steep, knife-cut cliffs on the opposite bank. The river accompanied the mountains in a winding path. The rocks stood like giants in the dark night, immortal for a thousand years, gazing at us with silent solemnity.

The scenic area's road was wide and straight. To celebrate Women's Day, the roadside was decorated with various adornments catering to urban women: colorful light strips, glowing butterfly wings, trendy slogans. I could feel the daytime bustle and excitement here...

In the dim light of the lanterns, a uniquely designed soup courtyard stood quietly and elegantly, awaiting our arrival.

At that moment, human and nature blended harmoniously, like a ladybug that had been fluttering in the wild all day. The car slowly drove toward the light—that was our soup courtyard, our cozy nest.

Thus began the long-awaited vacation.

Tongjing Soup Courtyards are two-story villas with private gardens and hot spring pools, available in two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and five-bedroom configurations.

We stayed in a three-bedroom soup courtyard, which had three bedrooms and a balcony. The guest rooms were not lavishly decorated but were exceptionally comfortable. The first floor was divided into four areas: a living room, a bedroom, a recreation room, and a private hot spring courtyard. The second floor had two more bedrooms plus an outdoor balcony. Each bedroom had its own bathroom and was fully equipped with toiletries, drinks, and snacks. Most guests here were families, so having everything well-prepared felt thoughtful and generous.

In the living room, welcome fruit was laid out. I have to say, the blood oranges were incredibly sweet. A large bowl of them, and the women finished them all in one go.

But we didn't come here just for oranges. After moistening our tongues and throats with the sweet freshness, we eagerly changed into swimsuits amidst playful banter about our figures.

Soaking in a private hot spring on a March night, when the weather is still cool but warming.

Could there be a more delightful enjoyment in the world?

At that moment, everything was very quiet. The night was dark, the light faint. In the slightly cool March night, I stepped into the hot spring pool, treading on starlight.

Warmth rose from my feet, spreading to my abdomen, chest, and neck... When the heat enveloped my entire body, everything seemed to slow down. A warm force gathered inside me, fine threads tangled in my mind, hazy and blurred.

Such silence; no one spoke. Only the occasional sound of water stirred, slipping into my heart. I inexplicably felt a sense of security. At that moment, everything in the world seemed to disappear. It was as if the entire universe consisted only of me and this warm pool.

I began to melt, merging with the hot spring, slowly spreading with its ripples.

That night, we soaked in the hot spring, our slightly relaxed cheeks flushed red. We laughed like teenagers in our thirties, eating cold oranges in the warm water, using the sweet orange juice as wine to accompany the bittersweet stories of first love.

We laughed freely, splashed water like children, and caressed each other's skin, nourished by the hot spring...

A dreamless night. Morning sunlight filtered through the screen window, gently waking us. This was the best way to wake up during a holiday.

After breakfast, we strolled through the garden. The temperature difference between early spring day and night was large, and with a light rain last night, the morning breeze still carried a chill. Perhaps it was because of last night's hot spring soak, but I, who usually fear the cold, didn't dislike this cool breeze; instead, I found it refreshing.

The asphalt road, still damp from the rain, extended into the distance like a dark ribbon.

The scenic area woke up early. By eight or nine o'clock, visitors began to arrive. Intimate young couples leaned on each other and whispered; elderly people with white hair walked with their hands behind their backs, smiling; children circled themselves in swim rings, running around like airplanes, followed by anxious mothers, and then fathers carrying bags and smiling at their wives and children.

Very warm, very human.

Caught up in this atmosphere of daily life, we couldn't help but enter the public hot spring area. Yes, we had soaked for three hours yesterday, but we still wanted to soak again. Humans' pursuit of comfort is always unrestrained—so mundane, yet so joyful.

As soon as we entered the hot spring area, heat rushed towards us, shutting out the spring chill. The pool area was steaming, with springs bubbling. Only warmth and comfort remained.

The pristine canyon where Tongjing Hot Springs is located has 25 natural hot spring vents of various sizes, scattered and hidden throughout the canyon, emitting misty steam. The hot spring area has 48 natural hot spring pools of different sizes, with water temperatures around 42–62°C, all coming from 1,800 meters underground. After being filtered through rock layers to remove geothermal impurities, they seep upward and emerge naturally from the surface—this is real hot spring water.

"Heaven's gift of precious nectar, fragrant and heart-soothing." The gushing hot springs of Tongjing burst forth from deep within the earth, from the crevices of the valley, along rock fissures and the texture of time, enough to warm all seasons.

Cold springs and hot springs—the two extremes of ice and fire.

When visiting Tongjing, experiencing the cold and hot springs is perhaps the most essential thing.

Compared to hot springs, cold springs may be less familiar to people. In fact, as early as the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen classified China's mineral springs into hot springs, cold springs, sweet springs, sour springs, and bitter springs in his *Compendium of Materia Medica*. Among them, cold springs require special geological structures to form. They differ from ordinary mountain springs and groundwater. They emerge with bubbles from the depths of Tongjing Canyon, belonging to simple carbonated springs. The water is clear and transparent, drinkable and bathable, with a constant temperature below 20°C throughout the year.

Cold springs are especially suitable for summer. On a hot summer day, plunging into 20°C cold spring water for just a few minutes instantly dispels the heat, bringing cool and refreshing comfort. All the summer heat and fatigue can be washed away by this cool water.

Tongjing Hot Springs has five cold and hot spring pools, clustered together in a flower shape—three hot and two cold, just a step apart.

In early spring, to enjoy the cold and hot springs, you first soak in 42–45°C hot water for about ten minutes to build up internal heat, then plunge into the cold spring for 3–4 minutes to dissipate heat, then return to the hot spring to "recharge," repeating the cycle.

This intense alternation of cold and heat can promote blood circulation, enhance metabolism, activate cellular function, improve liver detoxification ability, boost immunity, increase the body's redox capacity, resist free radical generation, improve detoxification and elimination, and regulate the autonomic nervous system, among other benefits.

In a nutshell: go soak.

Personally, I really enjoy this stimulating game of cold and hot springs. Putting aside its various health benefits, I love the thrill itself—a feeling that welled up from deep inside after my best friend dragged me into the cold spring and I jolted with a start.

When my body, heated by the 45°C hot spring, suddenly plunged into the 20°C cold spring, the first sensation was pain—a stinging pain all over, but not unpleasant. It was a numb, tingling pain, as if tens of thousands of fine needles were pricking you all at once, but not deeply. For a moment, I couldn't move.

I stayed in that position for several seconds, stiff from head to toe—but after just a few seconds, the numbness gradually faded, and a burst of heat from an unknown source suddenly awakened. It felt as if I had absorbed warmth from all things in the universe. My blood began to surge violently, rushing through my entire body, engaging in an intimate dialogue with my internal cells and organs.

After soaking in the Queen's Pool, I, too, am a queen.

Undoubtedly, March belongs to women, and we were fortunate to encounter a special pool created by Tongjing Hot Springs exclusively for women.

Queens in swimsuits passed through the "Gate of Beauty" and stepped into a hot spring filled with ocean balls. They took photos wearing crowns in front of angel wings, bathed with black swans, pink flamingos, and unicorns... Pink bubbles, floating feathers—the girlish hearts of middle-aged women were stirred. Cheering, they rushed toward the "Queen's Pool."

Confronted with a bunch of sexy internet celebrity young ladies, our group didn't shrink back. A swan? I want to ride it too! Ocean balls? I want to toss them too!

On this day, standing here, we were all "queens," holding magic wands, our inner dramas exploding: Don't lower your head, the crown might fall.

Besides the unique atmosphere, the hot spring also prepared many interactive activities—"The Queen's Tactics." For example, riding inflatable floating devices shaped like cute pets across the pool—whoever was faster won; or transporting ocean balls by hand—whoever carried the most won... The games were simple but engaging, and everyone eagerly tried.

Unlike the photo-taking session, most participants in the games were men, with their "queens" directing from the side: "Lean over more! There are more ocean balls over there! Kick with your feet! Faster, faster!"

As expected, there is always a knight beside the queen.

According to the on-site staff, throughout March, Tongjing Hot Springs will focus on the "Women's Exclusive Series" activities, including a "Sisters' BBQ" featuring wine and food under spring sunlight; a "Women's Kayaking Club" at 38 yuan per hour; and activities like picking wild vegetables and making spring dishes at the realistic "Where Are We Going, Dad?" spring kitchen.

Additionally, for women, a special rights card offering 6 hot spring tickets for 380 yuan was launched, currently available both online and offline.

The kayaking area is a short walk from the hot springs, about five minutes away.

This is the ferry point of the Wen Tang River. After putting on life jackets and sitting in the kayaks, we glided leisurely into the embrace of the Wen Tang River. This area is rich in geothermal resources, lush with vegetation, and the forest is filled with thriving life singing vigorously. On both sides, steep cliffs stand against the sky, and verdant bamboo covers the hills. We paddled casually, the small boat moving freely on the wide water, giving a feeling of "light boat passing myriad mountains."

Kayaking is not difficult. The waters of Tongjing Gorge are calm. As long as you don't rock the boat vigorously, there is almost no turbulence. I especially enjoyed putting away the paddle and letting the current carry me, watching the clouds roll and unfold in the gorge, and seeing the early spring sunlight cast a golden layer on the river. I also loved the small swirl created when the paddle entered the water—a slender thread that rose quickly and sank just as fast... Occasionally, a falling flower drifting downstream would stir many reveries—I wondered where it fell into the water and how long it had floated before meeting me for this fleeting encounter.

When the boat reached the mouth of the gorge, the cliffs on both sides were shattered, and looking up, the sky appeared as a single thread. A babbling stream flowed out from the gorge. Following the current in, the path wound and twisted, now bright, now dark. Suddenly, I recalled the Qing Dynasty scholar Zhou Kaifeng's lavish praise for Tongjing: "Tongjing is full of wonders; seeking its source reveals endless scenery. Beautiful mountains hidden deep, winding paths lush and green. Hanging trees with thousand monkeys leaping, peeking at the sky through a single line. Peach blossoms fall in the valley, repeatedly fooling the old fisherman." Amid such serene scenery, even the most obtuse person would be inspired with poetry. This falling flower, this swirl—they are the connection between human and nature. On the riverbed, we also saw naturally emerging wild hot springs. The hot water poured into the cool river, raising wisps of steam. I dipped my hand into the water. Yes, it was warm.

In fact, when we left Tongjing, we were all reluctant to part. After all, it offered us a multitude of charms and the fragrant steam of hot springs. I stubbornly believe this is our poetry and distant horizon. Our poetry and horizon include the rising morning clouds and the evening sunset, the egrets skimming the river as we soak leisurely in the springs, the songs and chirps of birds and insects deep in the tranquil forest, and the calm and relief after a thousand sails have passed. Crucially, it includes the hot springs of Tongjing.